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Rhode Island College
Providence, RI 4,630 Undergrads 55.0% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$18,490
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,988
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,318
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$10,988
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$56,318
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate55.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time85.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.9%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
81.1%
SAT Avg
1,010
SAT Reading
25th: 440-75th: 600
SAT Math
25th: 420-75th: 560
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$488k
+$91k
+$4k
Median Cost$11k/yr
+$448k
+$52k
-$36k
Full Cost$18k/yr
+$421k
+$25k
-$63k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
59
∞
Median Cost$11k/yr
Never
-91%
Full Cost$18k/yr
Never
-95%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return-64%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-58%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Certificates
Social Work
CertCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$16,663
Lifetime Value Added
-$279k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$15,783
Earnings (5yr)
$66,478
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$25,152
Earnings (5yr)
$67,913
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$68,594
Lifetime Value Added
+$69k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$19,033
Earnings (5yr)
$66,333
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$14,250
Earnings (5yr)
$94,239
Lifetime Value Added
+$261k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$18,875
Earnings (5yr)
$45,774
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$92,443
Lifetime Value Added
+$248k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$55,218
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$24,034
Earnings (5yr)
$37,031
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$18,091
Earnings (5yr)
$45,516
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$18,433
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$19,041
Earnings (5yr)
$74,665
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (5yr)
$42,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$24,705
Earnings (5yr)
$62,906
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$24,641
Earnings (5yr)
$52,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$21,650
Earnings (5yr)
$41,708
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$18,060
Earnings (2yr)
$47,729
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$18,962
Earnings (5yr)
$57,338
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,840
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$26,463
Earnings (5yr)
$42,668
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$14,133
Earnings (5yr)
$49,042
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
BachCIP: 2615
Median Debt
$20,784
Earnings (5yr)
$47,176
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$17,928
Earnings (5yr)
$62,896
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$46,205
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,750
Earnings (5yr)
$80,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$159k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,530
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$21,633
Earnings (5yr)
$50,901
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$17,805
Earnings (5yr)
$49,819
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$25,781
Earnings (5yr)
$56,951
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$24,481
Earnings (5yr)
$51,204
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$89,865
Lifetime Value Added
+$332k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,274
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$71,575
Lifetime Value Added
+$213k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$129,838
Lifetime Value Added
+$674k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$32,666
Earnings (5yr)
$66,005
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,802
Lifetime Value Added
+$185k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,994
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,247
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Graduate Certificates
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Gr-CertCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,748
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.